Machine for cleaning and polishing knives



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(II-0 Model.) I

- J. PLETSGHER.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING KNIVES.

Patented July 19, 1892.

I II

65 :umiiimm I In Hill? 111' ll II M M I W1 W1 avwamtoa MIX (No Model.) 2Shegts-Sheet 2.

J. PLETSGHER.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING KNIVES.

No. 479,304. Patented July 19, 1892.

wi/lwwo-ow UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PLETSCHER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING KNIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,304, dated July 19,1892.

Application filed March 1'7 1892. Serial No. 425.330. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN PLETSCHER, of the city of Baltimore, in theState of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachines for Cleaning and Polishing Knives and the Like, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The machine in which my invention is comprised is one in which the knifeor other article to be cleaned or polished is inserted between tworeciprocating power-driven pads or rubbers which press upon it fromopposite sides and move in opposite directions to each other.

I will first describe the machine, and will then point out in the claimsthose features of it which I believe to be new and of my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of so muchof the machine as needed for the purpose of illustration with part ofthe front plate removed. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3is a perspective View of one of the pads. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4l, Fig. 3.

The machine is to be provided with a suitable framework and base, bywhich it may be secured to or supported on a bench, table, or the like.This, however, I have not deemed it necessary to show further than torepresent that portion of the frame in which the working parts arelocated. This portion of the frame consists of the front and back platesA B, connected by suitable pillars or bolsters a. Between said platesare the two friction pads or rubbers 0. They face and press against eachother and are supported in guides, in which they reciprocate. Theirmovement is brought about by any suitable means, consisting in thisinstance of connecting-rods b, pivoted at one end to the pads and at theother end hung on wrist or crank pins on shaft 0, which by gearing d eis driven from the motor-shaft j, which has on it a handle by which itmay be turned. The wrist-pins or crankpieces of shaft 0 are set at onehundred and eighty degrees to each other, the consequence being'that thepads O in reciprocating will move in opposite directions to each other.

The two plates A B are slit, as at g, for the insertion of theknife-blade between the pads, the front plate in addition having anenlarged slot 9' for receiving the ferrule of the knife. The two padsmoving as they do in opposite directions to each other neutralize to agreat extent each others action on the knife so far as the tendency ofthe knife to move with either pad is concerned, and the knife thus canbe easily held and manipulated, while at the same time it is mosteffectively cleansed and polished. Each pad consists of a yokelike frame11, between the arms of which extends the leather h or other flexible orpliable strap. The frame is supported and held in guides j, in which itcan reciprocate. The leather strap h at its ends passes back over thearms of the yoke and are secured to bars It 10 therein by hooks or otherfastening devices. One of these bars 1:; is movable, being fast to ascrew-stem lo, which passes loosely through the back plate of the framea, and has on its end a nut Z, by which the bar it can be adjusted, soas to tighten the strap h to any extent desired.' Between the back plateof the yoke-frame c' and the leather strap h is interposed aplate-spring m of approximately V form, which is secured by one of itslegs to the back plate, while its other and free leg forms a springbacking for the leather strap h, the plate-spring being of substantiallythe same width as the shank. The free leg of the spring is slightlyconcave on its acting face between its two ends, as indicated at m, theobject of this being to better adapt the pads to accommodate themselvesto the shape in cross-section of the knife and to thoroughly clean allparts of the blade from back to edge. Then the two pads are placed asshown in the drawings, their faces are in contact, and are pressedforcibly against each other by the springs m.

Having now described the machine, what I claim therein as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the front and back plates A B, provided with slitsfor the insertion of the knife, the two pads arranged between andmounted to reciprocate in said plates and having spring pressed meetingfaces, and means for simultaneously reciprocating the pads in oppositedirections to each other, as and for the purposes shown and described.

2. The friction-pads having each a pliable face and a backing consistingof a plate-spring m of approximate V form, in combination with theframe, in which said parts are mounted to reciprocate, and means forreciprocating the pads simultaneously in directions opposite to eachother, as herein shown and described.

3. The pads consisting each of a frame,a pliable strap stretched betweenthe arms of said frame, and aplate-spring of approximate V shapeinterposed between the back plate of the frame and the strap, incombination with the guides, in which said pads are supported and move,and means for reciprocating the pads, substantially as set forth.

JOHN PLETSCHER.

Witnesses:

FRANK O. JACKSON, JOHN C. PLETSCHER, WM. 11. J ONES.

